Butternut Squash Lasagna Recipe | Video

Get the Dish: Brian Malarkey's Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ever wish you could celebrate the holidays at Brian Malarkey's table? While we can't arrange that, for the next best thing, serve up a "California Christmas" à la the Top Chef alum. Watch the video to see just what he means by "California Christmas," to see how he makes the star dish (butternut squash lasagna), and to find out what's next for the acclaimed chef. Then, print out all the recipes.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Drizzle a half-sheet pan with olive oil, toss the butternut squash slices in the olive oil, and then arrange them into 1 even layer. Generously season the butternut squash with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the squash is cooked yet still firm enough to break apart.

Meanwhile, melt half the stick of butter in a sauce pot until almost browned. Then, whisk in the flour, and continue to cook for about 30 seconds while slowly whisking in the milk. Bring to a boil. Add the garlic, and continue to cook at a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Transfer the sauce to a blender, add the spinach and parsley, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a small sauté pan, brown the remaining butter. Add the sage, the zest of 1 lemon, the juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. Immediately transfer to a ramekin to stop it from browning further.

Grease a large baking or casserole dish with a little butter, and begin arranging the layers in this order: cream sauce, lasagna noodles, mozzarella, parmesan, and butternut squash. Repeat. End with a layer of cheese on top. Drizzle with the sage-lemon brown butter.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for another 15 minutes or until the top is crispy golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Directions

For the candied walnuts: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk the sugar into the water until completely dissolved. Toss the walnuts with the sugar water, drain off excess liquid, and bake the walnuts on a buttered half-sheet pan until the sugar begins to caramelize and the nuts are roasted.

When the walnuts are cooled, crush, smash, or chop them to whatever size you find desirable.

For the Champagne vinaigrette: Whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, salt, and pepper. Adjust the vinegar and honey amounts to taste (adding more as necessary).

For the salad: Combine all the salad ingredients, and toss with the vinaigrette.

Directions

Generously season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

In a large sauté pan, set over medium-high heat, arranging the chicken breasts skin side down. Weigh them down with another smaller sauté pan placed on top, and lower the temperature slightly. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. (The goal is to cook the chicken breasts almost entirely on the skin side without burning to get very crispy skin.) Flip the breasts over, and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, begin basting the chicken. When the chicken is cooked through, remove the breasts, and set them aside for a little carry-over cooking.

Cook the onion in a large pot until soft and browned, add the cauliflower, and turn the heat to high. Remove the mixture from the heat, and add the grapes, capers, lemon juice, and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the onion and cauliflower mixture on a platter, and top with the chicken and chervil.

Directions

To make the syrup: In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, flambé the bourbon, and reduce by half. Stir in the sugar and water, and cook on low until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Add the maple syrup and rosemary, and bring the temperature up to just below a boil.

Remove from the heat, and let steep with the rosemary while cooling. Strain and store at room temperature until ready for use.

To make the waffles: In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, buttermilk, canola oil, reserved bacon fat, and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, bacon, chives, and sugar. Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture, and whisk together to combine well.

Heat a waffle iron. For each waffle, pour some batter onto the iron, and add a little less than 1/4 cup cheddar to the top of the batter before closing the lid. Cook until crispy, and serve with bourbon syrup.

Directions

To poach the lobster: In a large pot, bring the water, white wine, lemon halves, and juice to a rolling boil.

Combine the cloves, shallot, garlic, peppercorns, parsley, and thyme in a cheesecloth, tie with butcher's twine, and put it in the pot as the water heats up. Add the lobster, and boil for 5 minutes.

Remove the lobster, and submerge it immediately in an ice bath to stop the cooking. When cool, carefully remove the shell from the lobster, and reserve 3/4 cup of the meat for this recipe. Save the remaining meat and shells for other recipes.

For the eggs: In a nonstick sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. Add the eggs, and cook slowly over medium-low heat. After a couple of minutes, stir in 1 more tablespoon of butter. Once the eggs are cooked halfway, add the lobster meat, fontina cheese, and the final tablespoon of butter. Stir constantly until the eggs are cooked through (they should be soft and silky).

Finish with chopped chives, and season with salt to taste. If desired, garnish with avocado slices, scallions, and additional lobster claw or tail meat.